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Wrong-Way Sunrise Highway Driver Charged With DWI

A Hampton Bays man was arrested on Thursday night, May 10, after State Police said he drove drunk the wrong way on Sunrise Highway west of Southampton.

Troopers from the State Police barracks in Riverside said they saw a red SUV traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of the highway, near its intersection with North Road, at about 10:43 p.m. Officers said they quickly stopped the vehicle, and that the driver, 58-year-old John Ryan, exhibited “obvious signs of intoxication.”

Mr. Ryan failed sobriety tests administered at the scene and was subsequently charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, as well as traffic violations, troopers said. He measured a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 percent—nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08—on a breath test, they said.

He was released to appear in Southampton Town Justice Court in Hampton Bays on May 21.

Its very scary out there lately!! Thank God they are out there! Texting while driving is just as scary as this situation...I saw a guy making a left turn on Montauk Hwy in Bridgehampton..one hand on the wheel..he was looking back & forth at the road to his cellphone...and making the turn at the same time!!! A split second could turn into a disaster!!